Archive for the 'Olli Jokinen' Tag Under 'Ducks' Category

Looking at the giant hole on the Ducks blue line and it is easy to conclude that they need Ryan Suter in the worst way.

Looking at the $31 million that they have under the newly announced $70.2 million salary cap ceiling and it is easy to conclude that the Ducks should move heaven and earth to go after the star Nashville defenseman.

The Ducks moved out Lubomir Visnovsky because they thought injuries and age have caught up with him and they could use his $3 million salary and $5.6 million cap hit off their books. Now it is time for the next move.

On the surface, Suter figures to command at least $7 million annually when he hits the open market on Sunday and it would make perfect sense for Ducks GM Bob Murray to make his pitch first thing in the morning. It'll be tough to outdo Detroit or Philadelphia or Minnesota or even Nashville but it would at least say that you're serious about addressing the glaring need on the blue line.

But the reality is it's more that the Ducks will try to reel in some smaller-sized fish instead of the shark.

When you're a team that finishes 15 points out of a playoff spot, you need to make some changes.

Maybe the Ducks would have made the postseason if they just broke even in the first half of 2011-12, or maybe if their top players had performed near their usual standards. But in reality, maybe they just weren't good enough the way they were constructed.

Asked what he felt the club needed going forward, General Manager Bob Murray said "we just need our younger players to mature faster."

"And we need a couple of more pieces," he added.

It might be time to look at finding a key piece: a second-line center. The Ducks want incumbent Saku Koivu to return and hope to re-sign the veteran, but they also recognize that they need more production from that important position as it doesn't compare with some of the Western Conference's top teams.

CALGARY, Alberta -- The Ducks are usually greeted with a larger media gathering than normal each time they go north of the border but their dressing room was filled with local and national reporters Wednesday following their morning skate at Scotiabank Saddledome.

Certainly the nature of tonight's important contest against Calgary is enough to draw some attention given the Ducks' tenuous hold on seventh place in the Western Conference and the Flames three points out of a playoff spot and in desperate need of a victory.

But the Ducks' current storylines have piqued the interest of many, from Teemu Selanne's continued prowess at age 40 to Corey Perry's late run at a Hart Trophy to Ray Emery's still-developing comeback story from injury. And there is the growing belief that if they can squeeze their way into the postseason, they could be a feared opponent.